IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Istanbul Bomb Blast Targeting Police Officers Kills 11: Governor

A car bomb attack targeting a bus carrying Turkish police officers killed 11 people, Istanbul's governor said Tuesday.
Image: A destroyed van is near a Turkish police bus which was targeted in a bomb attack
A destroyed van is near a Turkish police bus which was targeted in a bomb attack in a central Istanbul district, Turkey, on June 7, 2016.OSMAN ORSAL / Reuters
/ Source: Reuters

A car bomb attack targeting a bus carrying Turkish police officers killed 11 people, Istanbul's governor said Tuesday.

Vasip Sahin told reporters near the scene that 36 people were wounded in the attack and three of them were in a critical condition. Seven of the dead were police officers, according to Sahin.

Image: Bomb attack on police bus in Istanbul, Turkey
Police officers and emergency officials work at the scene of a bomb attack targeting a bus in Istanbul, Turkey, on Tuesday.SEDAT SUNA / EPA

The blast occurred at a busy intersection near an Istanbul University building in the city's Beyazit district during the morning rush hour.

The police bus was overturned from the force of the blast which also damaged nearby buildings, including a hotel whose entrance appeared gutted and windows were blown out. Several cars were also wrecked.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, have been targeting police and military personnel with bombs since July, when a fragile peace process between the rebels and the government collapsed. ISIS has also been blamed for a series of deadly bombings in Turkey.